University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football coach Rusty Wright has received a one-year contract extension that keeps him under contract with the Mocs through the 2024 season.
Mark Wharton, UTC's vice chancellor and athletic director, announced the extension Thursday.
"I'm excited about that and thankful to (UTC chancellor) Dr. Steve Angle and Mark Wharton," Wright told the Times Free Press. "That was a tough first year with all the things we went through, starting with the practice field (flooding) and having to deal with a small roster and other things.
"A year later, it's like we have a fresh start. Now I kind of know what I'm doing and what all we need, and this (extension) helps. I couldn't be happier to be here, and it's good to know they appreciate what we're doing."
In his first season in charge at his alma mater, where he had two stints as an assistant, Wright posted a 6-6 record and a third-place finish in the Southern Conference at 5-3. The six overall wins tied Buddy Nix's 1984 debut season (6-5) at UTC, and the five SoCon victories for a first-year Mocs football coach equaled Nix's and Bill Oliver's totals and was one better than Russ Huesman's initial season in 2009 (4-4 in the SoCon).
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd/ UTC head coach Rusty Wright watches the action. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs hosted the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers in Southern Conference football at Chattanooga's Finely Stadium on October 17, 2019.The success hasn't been just on the football field. In the classroom, UTC players posted record team grade point averages in both semesters under Wright with a 2.79 in spring 2019 and a 2.83 this past fall, when the Mocs also set program marks with 37 football players on the dean's list and 50 on the athletic director's honor roll.
"It is clear by the product on the field and the performance in the classroom that Coach Wright has our football program headed in the right direction," Wharton said in a UTC release. "He has established a culture of success and accountability that is having a positive impact on our student-athletes."
Staff changes
The Mocs will name a new defensive line coach soon, Wright said, after Kenny Baker was hired as defensive ends coach this week at Western Kentucky. Baker spent five seasons at Mercer before joining Wright in Chattanooga.
"I knew it was a real possibility," Wright said of Baker's departure. "He had a couple of opportunities, and I'm glad it happened for him. He deserves it. He's never been a Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision) coach, so it will be good for him. We'll have somebody in place real quick."
Signing day near
With less than a week to go before the start of the second and final football signing period for the 2020 recruiting class, the Mocs have two commitments to add to the 14 signed during the first period in December. Wright hopes to add even more to the class, though he said he won't offer spots just to fill the roster.
"We are only going to take someone if we know they can physically help us and they fit in with what we are doing here," Wright said. "We're not going to reach for kids."
Heading into Wednesday's traditional national signing day, the Mocs have the commitments of outside linebacker Bo Spearman from Birmingham, Alabama, and wide receiver Shamar Sandgren from Savannah, Georgia.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.